Choosing Sides
by Ghost Wulf
Summary: Andrea has never agreed with her father that the world is evil but she never thought of going against him until he made the spirit of the Pharaoh his new target. Now Andrea is torn and she finds that the fate of the world all comes down to choosing sides.
1. Prologue: Ancient Egypt

Choosing Sides

Author: Ghost Wulf

Dedicated to: All my readers so far

Thanks for giving me the confidence to continue writing!

_Prologue: Ancient Egypt_

Dartz stood looking out at the palace of Egypt. The Pharaoh was in plain view, standing out on a balcony.

"Pharaoh," Dartz said, watching the king of Egypt, "your power is so great… I see your purpose. You will be exactly what the Great Leviathan needs to rise again."

"But, Father, I thought you said we didn't have enough souls to raise the beast yet," his daughter said from beside him. Her distaste for gathering evil souls was apparent in her voice, though she tried to hide it.

"We don't, unfortunately," he replied, overlooking her lack of understanding. There would be plenty of time to persuade her to see the truth. "But Egypt is in turmoil, gathering will be easy until, to whatever end, the kingdom ends this war."

"Shouldn't we try to help?" she asked quietly, watching the Pharaoh as well.

"Your kindness blinds you," Dartz replied, shaking his head.

She looked up at him in surprise. "But…."

"We fight for the good of the world, to help either side of this war would be to discontinue our cause," he said. He gestured around at the lands of Egypt. "Everyone here is the very evil we fight against."

"But…." his daughter started, her gaze straying back to the young Pharaoh, "Egypt is the largest kingdom on Earth… surely there must be some good here. Even if it's only a handful of people…."

"There is not much good left in this world," Dartz said, turning away. "But the rise of the Great Beast will ensure that it is protected from evil. It is not here though, Egypt is lost. Come."

He walked away but his daughter hovered a moment more, still watching the Pharaoh.

"But… why would someone defend something evil so fiercely?" she whispered. "What if…?"

"Come Andrea!" her father called sharply and she turned away to run to him, leaving the palace behind.


	2. Chapter 1: The One

**3,000 years in the future**

_Chapter 1: The One_

Andrea looked at the tiny game shop before her. The lights were all out and it was closed; the time was after one in the morning. She looked around once more to make sure no one was watching and then used the magic of the pendant that hung around her neck to unlock the door and slipped soundlessly inside.

The small room she had entered was filled with shadows and so many items she had to pick her way carefully to the back. Then what faced her were a set of stairs and a door to her left. She shrugged and took the stairs. There were only a few rooms on the upper floor and she started with the first one. Once again using her magic to open it she entered and looked around cautiously.

Sleeping soundly in the room was a boy. From the looks of him he couldn't have been more than fifteen. He had spiky hair that was mostly black, with red-violet tips and blonde spikes hanging down as bangs. It was tousled with sleep and he looked innocent. She couldn't help but smile. It turned into a slight gasp though as her pendant shot energy through her system. It began to glow a hazy green that changed into a beam and focused on the boy's dresser.

Andrea's eyes widened. On the dresser was a golden puzzle in the shape of an upside down pyramid on a chain. She reached out a hesitant hand to touch what she knew to be the Millennium Puzzle but her pendant stopped her; flaring with heat when her hand got close. She grimaced and pulled her hand back. Next to the Millennium Puzzle lay three cards. I'm amazed he just leaves these lying out, Andrea thought. She moved aside to allow moonlight from the one window in the room to shine on the cards, washing out the green light with pale white. They showed the pictures of a great blue beast, a red winding dragon, and a yellow feathered dragon. Obelisk, Slifer, and Ra, she knew.

She looked back at the boy still sleeping peacefully. He's the one, she thought. She placed a hand over her pendant and whispered in Atlantian, "The time has come, father. I have found the Pharaoh's residence."

"Very good, my child," a disembodied voice replied. "Now we shall rise again."

Andrea didn't share in the excitement she heard in her father's voice. The only thing she was glad about was that this would all be finally ending. As silently as she had come she slipped back out of the Kamé Game Shop and disappeared into the night. A motorcycle engine revved in the silence and soon faded out of hearing.

She hadn't noticed the person standing on the other side of the room.

* * *

_Authoress's Note: For those of you reading Choosing Sides that have read Coming Home (my longest story so far) I know that in Coming Home I used the US dubbed version of 5,000 years since the shadow games. In Choosing Sides though I'm going with the Japanese version of it only being 3,000 years. It's for convenience only and it won't change the storyline I promise! I hope you've enjoyed Choosing Sides so far!! Please review!_


	3. Chapter 2: The First Step

_Chapter 2: The First Step _

Yugi Moto walked next to Yami silently. Well, floated more like. He was currently in spirit form and was too busy thinking about what Yami had just told him to worry about walking when he didn't have to.

Yami had just told him about the girl that had broken into his Grandpa's game shop the night before.

"So, she looked at the Millennium Puzzle and the Egyptian God Cards but she didn't take them?" Yugi asked with a frown.

Yami nodded, coming to a stop while waiting for the walk sign to cross the street. "Yes, she reached out to touch the Millennium Puzzle but something happened that stopped her. I couldn't tell exactly what since her back was to me."

"And she talked to someone? Like telepathy out loud?" Yugi said.

Yami nodded again. "Yes, but in a different language. One I've never heard before."

Yugi shook his head in confusion. "This doesn't make any sense."

"I agree," Yami replied. "But until we find out I think we should keep a more careful eye on the Millennium Puzzle and the Egyptian God Cards."

Yugi nodded in agreement. A small ding sounded and the cars on the road stopped so the crowd could cross the street.

"Speaking of the Egyptian God Cards," Yugi said, "is that where we're going? Did you figure out how to unlock their power?"

Yami smiled. "I think so. I think it has something to do with that tablet in the Egyptian exhibit in the museum."

Yugi smiled back. This was definitely worth skipping algebra for.

Once across the street Yami started up the steps to the Domino Museum. Suddenly someone shouted at them. "Yug!"

Yugi recognized Joey Wheeler's voice. He turned to see Joey, Tristan, and Téa running towards Yami. Yugi smiled wryly. It amazed him that whenever he and Yami switched places his friends couldn't tell the difference.

"We've been looking everywhere for you," Téa scolded Yami gently.

Yami smiled slightly. "Uh… there's something that I need to do." He paused. "It could be dangerous and I just didn't want to get you guys involved."

"Look Yugi," Téa replied, "we're a team and whatever one of us does the rest of us are there! I've been giving this friendship speech for ages didn't it sink in yet?"

Yugi laughed and Yami's smile widened. "Just follow me then."

Tristan grinned. "We're right behind 'ya."

Joey grinned as well but then paused and said, "But uh… after this can we get lunch?"

"Joey," Téa groaned.

"What?" Joey asked defensively. "I'm skipping lunch here."

Yami chuckled and the rest of the group laughed. They started up the steps and entered the museum.

* * *

A dark figure wrapped in a cloak kneeled on the steps of the altar. Towering above where he kneeled was a faded stone statue of a great serpent. Burning on either side of the statue to give it a shadowy illumination were two oil lamps.

The man kneeling before the statue held out his hands. With closed eyes he said, in hushed reverence, "Great deities of power I call upon thee. Use the power of the spirit of the Pharaoh and his Egyptian Gods to break into the dominion of the mighty beasts. Unleash the great force held there."

The man smirked and opened his eyes to look at the yellowed statue, lowering his arms.

"It has begun, Andrea," he said quietly. "A breach will now be opened and our plan is closer to completion than ever."

Andrea stood at the bottom of the altar steps. She inclined her head, her face expressionless. "What now, Father?"

Her father rose to his feet, still facing the serpent statue. "The Pharaoh is about to set the first step of my plan into motion."

She hesitated. "Father… I don't see what stealing the God Cards from the Pharaoh will accomplish. Shouldn't we try to beat the Pharaoh at his strongest? I don't believe in weakening my opponents to make my victory easier."

He shook his head at her naivety. "My child, not only will stealing the God Cards weaken the Pharaoh, but it shall strengthen the great beast. That is the ultimate reason. You needn't worry about it though. The lower soldiers of the Orichalcos will take care of it to begin with. All you need to worry about is preparing for your duel with the Pharaoh. Only _you_ are strong enough to defeat him and take his soul."

Andrea lowered her head in acknowledgment of the praise. She once again hesitated but then said quietly, "I believe Rafael wishes to be the one to defeat the Pharaoh."

The man considered that for a moment. "Rafael _is_ strong. We will consider that when it comes however. For now, travel to Domino city with my Orichalcos soldiers. Make haste, you haven't much time."

She bowed and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Andrea?" he called out, turning for the first time to look at her.

She paused and looked back, her eyes slightly hopeful – as if thinking he might wish her well or such. "Yes, Father?"

He ignored the look in her eyes. He needn't encourage her when he already knew she could carry out the task at hand. "Remember, do not act. It is not yet time to reveal to the Pharaoh our true power, only to give him a glimpse of it. He must still believe that he is stronger than us."

Her face once again turned into a blank mask – something he had taught her to do well. However, there was a slight waver of uncertainty in her voice as she answered. "You mean… you expect Darien to lose?"

He shrugged her comment off with a wave of his hand. "Darien is my weakest Orichalcos soldier. His loss will not be a great one. I do not expect him to win because I do not believe the Pharaoh to be that weak. Otherwise his soul would be just like everyone else's and not worth my time. Do not trouble yourself about Darien; his soul will go to the greater cause: to nourish the great beast."

His daughter stood silently and then finally turned her back to him and said, in a quiet voice, "As you wish, Father." She exited the room.

The man turned back to the statue. Andrea will learn, he thought, she cannot remember the first rise of the great beast, but she shall know its power soon enough. Then she will see what I have seen all along. Soon the world will be cleansed and the Great Leviathon shall reign over all!

* * *

_Authoress's Note: Longer chapter! lol I got quite a few comments on how short the first chapter and the prologue were so here's something to pacify you hopefully. Just a quick note: Darien is that one guy that duels Yami. (That sounds so lame...) I couldn't find his name no matter how hard I looked so I just made one up. Sorry. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!_


	4. Chapter 3: The Thieves

_Chapter 3: Thieves _

The Domino museum was completely empty except for five people. Yami and his friends stood before the Egyptian tablet. Yami had only seen it once before and now the Egyptian God Cards seemed to be calling him back to it.

"Call me crazy," Joey said, "but uh, the guy on that tablet looks just like Yugi."

"It says "The Tablet of the Pharaoh"," Tristan said, reading the plaque on the glass encasing the stone tablet.

Yami nodded. "Yes, that Pharaoh is me."

"This is the part that always confuses me," Joey said.

Yami smiled slightly. He supposed it _was _a bit confusing. He looked down at the three God Cards in his hand. They seemed to call out to him to hold them up to the tablet to release their true power. It was the only thing he had to go on.

'Are you sure about this?' Yugi asked, communicating with him telepathically.

Yami nodded. It was his only hope. He held the three cards up to face the tablet. Immediately a bright light shot from the cards and the center of the Millennium Puzzle engraved on the tablet. Everyone shielded their eyes against the brightness of it.

A disembodied voice laughed. "You have served the beast well, Pharaoh."

Yami got a bad feeling and tried to pull the cards back. At that moment however the light ceased and dark energy strands shot to the cards instead. Yami cried out. He couldn't let go of the God cards.

"Pharaoh, what's wrong?!" Yugi cried in alarm.

"I don't know," Yami gasped. He clutched the wrist of the hand holding the God Cards. "It feels like there's a dark power draining the Egyptian Gods!"

"What should we do?" Téa asked fearfully – voicing what everyone was thinking.

Joey took a nervous step towards Yami but stopped. "You could start by dropping those cards!"

"I can't," replied Yami through gritted teeth.

Suddenly they all heard a scream from outside. Yami used all his strength to wrench the cards away from the tablet. The energy disappeared and everyone ran outside. Yami was breathing heavily; it felt as though he had been drained right along with the God Cards. What they saw outside the museum shocked them all. What looked like duel monsters were all over the city!

"It's like a horror movie out here!" Joey cried in panic.

"They've gotta be holograms," Tristan said.

"Yeah, but from where?" asked Téa, dodging a bouncing Kuriboh nervously.

"The only way to find that out is to go straight to the source of Duel Monster holograms," Joey replied, gritting his teeth. "Let's go see Kaiba."

"Yes," Yami agreed. But some part of him couldn't help but think that what had happened in the museum was responsible for this. That would mean that the monsters all around weren't really holograms. But how would it have happened so fast?!

The gang took off running towards Kaiba Corp. headquarters. Luckily it was only a block away. They turned a street corner and had to jump out of the way of some screaming teenagers.

"Man, everyone's freakin' out," Joey said. Yami had to agree. There were people all over the streets and screaming could be heard everywhere.

When they reached Kaiba Corp. they saw a huge crowd of reporters and TV news people around the doors. They could hear them shouting and demanding answers.

"I almost feel bad for Kaiba," Téa muttered. "Looks like he's got a lot on his hands now."

"Yeah," Tristan agreed, "and because of all the reporters there's no way _we'll_ get in to see him."

Then they heard someone shout, above all the reporters, "PLEASE! MR. KAIBA WILL NOT ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS NOW BUT WILL BE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. YOU CAN GET ALL YOUR ANSWERS THEN!!"

'It looks like we'll have to wait for answers until then as well," Yugi said, his voice sounding nervous.

'Yes,' Yami replied, 'but I'm not sure he'll have any answers that will really help… I doubt this is Kaiba Corp.'s fault.'

'Well, there's only one way to find out,' Yugi said. 'Let's head back to the game shop and wait.'

* * *

It turned out it wasn't until about 10 o'clock at night that Kaiba finally held his press conference. Yugi, who was still in spirit form, Yami, Tristan, Téa, and Joey all sat on the couch as the conference began. Yugi's grandpa was in the front of the game shop. Yugi and Yami had left the Egyptian God Cards with him.

"It's about time," Yami muttered as Kaiba finally came on the screen.

"We've done extensive testing and I can now confirm that these "monster sightings" have nothing to do with Kaiba Corp.," Seto Kaiba said. "Our dueling technology is working perfectly so whatever's going on we have nothing to do with it."

The screen switched back to the reporter and Tristan said angrily, "He's gotta be covering up, who else has the technology to create Duel Monster holograms all over the city."

Yami remained silent but his suspicion was now stronger than ever.

"Unless," Téa said nervously, "those aren't holograms at all."

Yami looked at her approvingly. So she had thought of it as well. "I was just thinking the same thing," he said quietly. "I think it has something to do with what happened in the museum, and that would mean that all these monsters are _very _real."

"Wait," Joey said incredulously, "you're telling me that the city's under attack from _actual _monsters?!"

Yami started to reply when a crash sounded from the front of the game shop. The gang leapt up from the couch as they heard Yugi's grandpa shout, "No!" Yami switched places with Yugi to allow him to run to his grandpa's aid. His grandpa was on the floor in the front of the store and items were scattered all over. The glass in the front door was shattered.

"Grandpa!" Yugi cried, running to him. "What happened?!"

"Yugi, they're gone," his grandpa replied.

"Who's gone?" Yugi asked in confusion.

His grandpa pulled himself up into a kneeling position. "Your cards, the Egyptian God Cards!"

"The God Cards?!" Yugi cried, his eyes widening in panic.

"Who did this?!" Joey demanded angrily. "I'll find 'em!" He ran out the door.

"Joey, wait!" Yugi cried. He looked down at his grandpa. "Are you gonna be ok?"

His grandpa nodded and the gang ran after Joey. They caught up with him in time to see, across the city, the holographic images of Obelisk, Slifer, and Ra.

"What kind of idiot would steal all three Egyptian God Cards just to summon them in the middle of the city for everyone to see?" asked Tristan incredulously.

Yami had to agree. It didn't make sense. Suddenly they heard the sound of engines revving and four motorcycles turned off a side street, coming to a stop in front of the gang. The headlights of the motorcycles were blinding and everyone had to shield their eyes.

"You blokes want those cards back?" asked an amused voice over the sound of the engines.

"They're mine," said Yugi angrily.

"Well if you want them, you'll have to get past us," said the guy on the far right, holding up his arm to show what Yami recognized as a duel disk. But it was unlike any design he'd ever seen before.

"Yes," agreed the person next in line, "and I think it's only fair to warn you that we fight dirty." He held up his own arm to reveal a duel disk identical to the first guy's. The next person did the same. Yami noticed that the person on the far left hadn't done anything yet.

"Those Egyptian God Cards don't belong to you," Yugi said.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but they serve a new master now… Pharaoh," said the guy second to the right.

Yami started in shock, how did they know about him?

The guy revved his engine and continued, "The only way you'll get them back is to _win_ them back."

"You don't scare us," Joey said loudly.

"I thought you'd say that," the same guy said, it appeared he was the leader. Without warning he and the two motorcyclists next to him wheeled their motorbikes around and sped off.

That left only the person who hadn't said anything yet. Their motorcycle engine was quieter and it was easy to hear their voice over it. "If you plan to win back your cards it'd be in your best interests to follow me."

Yami could tell the person was a girl by her voice and he suddenly thought of the girl last night in the game shop. It was her! She wheeled her own bike around and drove more slowly down the street. They clearly saw her make a right turn.

"I guess we have no choice but to follow," Yugi said. The rest of the group agreed and they ran after the girl.

What is this all about? Yami asked silently.

* * *

_Authoress's Note: It's been a while since I've updated this one. Hope you like it! Please review!_


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